Stayin' Alive
EAST BUTLER — The first order of business for East Butler was to settle things down on the mound.
Enter Garet Banner.
The southpaw entered Monday's Butler County American Legion baseball playoff game in the midst of an offensive onslaught from West Sunbury in the top of the third inning. The visitors had tied the game at 8-8 and had runners on second and third with two outs.
Banner did allow a two-run double to Josh Adamson — both runs being charged to starter Hunter Scott — before the former shut out West Sunbury over the final 4 1/3 innings as East Butler prevailed, 12-10, in the loser's bracket final at Speed-O Field.
Banner's effort included five strikeouts and no walks.
“I just tried to change speeds to keep their hitters off-balance,” he said. “It just came down to showing how much this (game) meant to us.”
The win matches East Butler (12-9) up with top-seeded Saxonburg (18-1). The teams will meet at 6 p.m. today at Laura Doerr Park.
Saxonburg, which has yet to lose in the double-elimination tournament, can wrap up a third-straight league title with a win.
“Our plan today was to pitch by committee,” said East Butler manager Russ Scott. “We wanted to keep everyone's arm available for Saxonburg. We were looking to use three pitchers, but Garet had some really quick innings there and he kept his pitch count down.”
Banner worked scoreless fourth and fifth frames, though East Butler still trailed 10-9 entering the bottom of the fifth.
But against West Sunbury starter and eventual losing pitcher, Lake Pry, Trevor Gilliland and Banner drilled back-to-back doubles to tie the game. Banner then scored on a sacrifice fly from Seth McCrea with what proved to be the deciding run later in the fifth.
“I think it was a case of the team settling down in general,” Russ Scott said of his squad outscoring West Sunbury 4-0 over the final 3½ innings. “Hopefully, we can carry this over against Saxonburg. We need to throw the kitchen sink at them and with all of our pitching available, I think we can do that.”
With just nine players, West Sunbury was afforded little flexibility with its lineup. Pry allowed 11 runs on seven hits while walking six and striking out six. He was relieved by Hunter Fitzingo in the bottom of the sixth.
“I thought Lake pitched well,” said West Sunbury manager Brian Williams. “Those first two innings (eight runs scored by East Butler), errors caused his pitch count to get up there. Plus, East Butler hits the ball.”
David Matson paced East Butler's offense with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and five RBI.
Pry singled twice and doubled for West Sunbury and Andrew Dulya drove in three runs.
West Sunbury (15-6) reached the loser's bracket final by defeating Cranberry Township 17-7 in a game that was started Sunday at North Boundary Park. Darkness forced suspension of the game in the top of the fifth inning and it was picked up again Monday at Speed-O Field, with East Butler awaiting the winner.
“It was a great season,” said Williams. “I'm told this was the winningest team in West Sunbury legion history. We're a young team and will bring everybody back next season. I'm looking forward to it.”
West Sunbury 136 000 0 — 10 11 3
East Butler 350 121 x — 12 8 5
W: Garet Banner 4.1 IP (5K, 0BB). L: Lake Pry 5 IP (6K, 6BB).
West Sunbury (15-6): Hunter Fitzingo 1B 3R, Jake Jewart 1B 2R, Lake Pry 2-1B 2B R RBI, Andrew Dulya 1B 2B R 3RBI, Josh Adamson 2B 2RBI, Brice Williams 1B, Wyatt Geibel 1B 2R, David Marterella 1B R
East Butler (12-9): Brandon Hilderbrand 1B 2R, Braxton Hilderbrand 2R, Isaiah Lucas 2R, David Matson 2-2B 2R 5RBI, Hunter Scott 2-1B 2RBI, Connor Miller 1B RBI, Trevor Gilliland 2B R, Garet Banner 2B 2R RBI, Aidan Kretzer R, Seth McCrea RBI
Today: East Butler vs. Saxonburg at Laura Doerr Park, 6 p.m.
